Crystal Snowflakes

Beautiful, crystal snowflakes 

that sparkle but don't melt?  

You can make them with your kids (or by yourself)  

and it's really easy!  

This isn't an instant gratification project, 

you do have to wait overnight for the crystals to form, but sometimes it's worth waiting 

for something beautiful.

So pretty, isn't it?

Here's what you need:

* Borax ~ it's a powder you can find with the laundry detergents in most larger stores

* Boiling water

* Pipe cleaners

* Large container deep enough to suspend your snowflakes upright

* Piece of thread, thin wire, dental floss (something to use to suspend your snowflakes in the solution and then to hang when complete)

Here's what to do:

1.  Make your snowflakes.  You can make any flaky design you'd like out of the pipe cleaners.  We cut ours into 5" and 2" pieces.  We took three of the 5" pieces and twisted them together to make a star shape.  Then we attached the smaller pieces to the ends to make it look more like a snowflake.

2.  Prepare your crystal solution.  The amount depends on the size of the container you'll be using.  Use the ratio of three tbsp. Borax for every cup of boiling water.  Make as many batches as you need to fill your container so the liquid is deep enough for the snowflakes to be suspended upright in the solution.

3.  Tie one end of a piece of string to your snowflake and the other to a ruler, large spoon, etc. to suspend it in the solution.  Try not to have the snowflakes touching each other in the solution or they'll mold together.

4.  Allow the snowflakes to sit in the solution overnight.  When you wake up, gently pull them out.  You'll see that beautiful crystals have formed on the pipe cleaners.  Let them dry and then use them to add a little wintry sparkle wherever you'd like.

** Original tutorial for these awesome snowflakes found here **